Essar files duty complaint against 7 nations

NEW YORK  Essar Steel Algoma Inc. has filed an anti-dumping duty complaint with the Canadian government regarding certain hot-rolled carbon steel plate and high-strength low-alloy steel plate imports from Brazil, Taiwan, Denmark, Indonesia, Italy, Japan and South Korea.

The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario-based steel producers petition comes on the heels of the company posting its sixth consecutive quarterly loss. The flat-rolled producer at the time said it was considering plans to file a trade complaint citing price suppression and a surge of "low-priced plate imports" from those countries (amm.com, Aug. 14).

During its most recent quarter, the company saw a 7-percent fall in plate sale prices offset by an 8.4 percent rise in plate shipments to 90,000 tons from 83,000 tons in the previous quarter.

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal will begin its preliminary inquiry and issue a decision by Nov. 4. In a separate investigation, the Canada Border Services Agency will investigate whether imports are being dumped and will make a preliminary determination by Dec. 4.